I have 89 4.2 wrangler with the carter carb. I bought the jeep of a friend and just recently bought and installed a lift, tires, and winch. When i first bought the jeep it would not idle and would only run at very high RPMs. I took it to the shop they took the carb apart gave it new seals cleaned it and it worked just fine because the jeep was not being used off road. With all the new mods installed i finally took it wheeling and boy was it a dissapointment. When ever I go up a decent hill it floods horribly and looses all its power, and looses its idle and becomes a total mess. Therefore after every trip off road i end up climbing hills backwards cause it wont flood as much, and also have to take the jeep back to the shop so they can tune it right again. Once the mechanic tunes it it runs fine untill the jeep goes up a steep hill, it looses all its settings. I started doing some reading on carb kits to replace the original carter carb and found out that the carb in my jeep brings a computer that regulates the fuel mixture? well theres no computer attached to my carburator, I think they yanked it out? Is this the reason why it goes crazy on inclines? and burns rich? which replacement carburetor kit do you guys recomend?(more bang for the buck). thanks!
The wonderful carter carb
- Thread starter nica89yj
- Start date
Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
There's a computer, it's just not hooked to the carb. The carb is preset and non-adjustible (unless you knock the tabs off).
The carter can be rebuilt but it will always be junk, performing horribly offroad. Go with the Motorcraft 2150 using a Mr. Gasket carb adapter.
The carter can be rebuilt but it will always be junk, performing horribly offroad. Go with the Motorcraft 2150 using a Mr. Gasket carb adapter.
So let me get this straight..Theres 2 ways of solving the crappy carb problem, One is with the Weber carb which is more expensive but fits directly with no adapters and is brand new no rebuilding needed. The other way is the Motorcraft 2150 found at a junkyard, rebuild it,buy an adapter and put on. Which carb out of the 2 performs better? Requires less Maintenance?Bounty__Hunter said:
Which carb would be your personal choice and why?
Thanks alot guys
I've got both. The weber runs like a scalded dog but as you mentioned is quite a bit more expensive. The weber also is supposedly hard to tune, but I can't verify whether or not that's true as I've never fooled with mine. Mine gave me no problems for about 5 years and still runs great, but I am having some cold starting issues that I think are from the guy who rebuilt my engine monkeying with the idle setting. Apparently if you screw the idle screw in past a certain point it allows the gas in the bowl to leak out over time so when you go to start it it takes a few cranks to get gas back in the carb. I'm going to fool with it one of these days but it's on my hunting rig and since it runs fine once I start it I just haven't fooled with it yet. Not enough of a problem to make me dislike my weber. That thing will make your jeep absolutely ROAR when you give it the skinny.
The 2100 runs a ton better than stock, but doesn't have the oomph of the weber. Still a much better carb than the one you have now. You can also pick up a 2100/2150 (2150 is a 2100 with high altitude compensator of some kind on it; either will work) for about $20 or $30 bucks, a rebuild kit for about $15, an adapter for $15 (transdapt on my jeep), and a stock V8 CJ cable from an early 80's CJ7 will work fine and keep you from fabbing anything. Check your local junkyard for any ford with a V6 or V8 in it. The 2100 runs a ton better than stock, is easy to rebuild (first carb I've ever tried to rebuild and I did it in about 2 hours) and is a cheap alternative. Here are some writeups on the 2100 (look down about 3-4 posts and you'll see where I posted links)
http://65.42.106.152/forums/showthread.php?p=6115818#post6115818
If I were to choose I'd probably get the weber since the performance is a little better, but since the 2100's are so easy to find/work on and being so cheap I've got a spare 2100 in case my weber ever messes up on me. I guess I'll figure out how hard the weber is to work on when I get around to a rebuild on it, but I like the weber better in a head to head comparison. For the money the 2100 is probably a better value. Either way if you do the TFI listed in the "how-to" section on this site and also the nutter bypass (to keep your computer from screwing with your timing) you'll have a much better running and much simpler Jeep to work on.
http://web.archive.org/web/20021019215556/www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/electrical/jn-ignition99/
The 2100 runs a ton better than stock, but doesn't have the oomph of the weber. Still a much better carb than the one you have now. You can also pick up a 2100/2150 (2150 is a 2100 with high altitude compensator of some kind on it; either will work) for about $20 or $30 bucks, a rebuild kit for about $15, an adapter for $15 (transdapt on my jeep), and a stock V8 CJ cable from an early 80's CJ7 will work fine and keep you from fabbing anything. Check your local junkyard for any ford with a V6 or V8 in it. The 2100 runs a ton better than stock, is easy to rebuild (first carb I've ever tried to rebuild and I did it in about 2 hours) and is a cheap alternative. Here are some writeups on the 2100 (look down about 3-4 posts and you'll see where I posted links)
http://65.42.106.152/forums/showthread.php?p=6115818#post6115818
If I were to choose I'd probably get the weber since the performance is a little better, but since the 2100's are so easy to find/work on and being so cheap I've got a spare 2100 in case my weber ever messes up on me. I guess I'll figure out how hard the weber is to work on when I get around to a rebuild on it, but I like the weber better in a head to head comparison. For the money the 2100 is probably a better value. Either way if you do the TFI listed in the "how-to" section on this site and also the nutter bypass (to keep your computer from screwing with your timing) you'll have a much better running and much simpler Jeep to work on.
http://web.archive.org/web/20021019215556/www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/electrical/jn-ignition99/
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Bounty__Hunter
Super Moderator
I'd go with the 2150 for price, ease of tuning, and EFI-caliber performance at angles.
The motorcraft sounds tempting cause its so cheap and performs. But Since my jeep is in Nicaragua, central america and I go to school in jacksonville Iam afraid that I might mess up finding the right carb and ship the wrong parts or adapters that come along with the motorcraft. I only get one chance of doing this right and the weber sounds alot simpler to install. WM60 your post was really helpfull with this carb dilema. Right now iam leaning towards the Weber but iam not taking out the posibility of searching for a used motorcraft in the junk yards. I have a whole semester to figure this thing out, and i will keep u guys posted on whatever i decide to do. Really apreciate all the help from all you guys, Building my jeep without this forum would have been hell.
Motorcraft isn't really any harder to install than a weber. You bolt the adapter down, bolt the carb on top of the adapter, get the right thottle cable and hook it up, crank it up, and tune it. The install on the weber will be the same as the install on the motorcraft except for not having to replace the throttle cable and there's the minimal extra wrenching to mount the adapter. I'd never removed a carb, much less rebuilt one, and my MC2100 took about 2 hours to install and tune (not including rebuild time). One thing I really like about the MC is it's really easy to work on and they're real easy to find (and cheap).
When looking for the motorcraft in a junkyard what vehicle do you look for, I know that its a ford but what kind? I was wondering how the whole process goes down since i have never bought anything of the junkyard and dont wanna get riped off! Any good junkyards in jacksonville that anyone knows about??? THanks
Just about any ford with a V8 or V6 from the mid 80's down to the mid 60's will have a MC21XX on it. Jeep wagoneers and other early FSJ's with V8's also have the MC on them. I'd just stop at the front desk and ask if they have any late 70's ford 2 barrel carbs. Might save you some time looking. If they say "don't know" you just go poke around. I think the carb I currently have came off of an early 80's LTD or other car (wasn't a truck).
The 2100 will work on a 232 or a 258 but you'll have to replace the intake manifold with a later 2 barrel intake or I thing (not sure) that you might be able to get an adapter to make it work but I'm not sure on that....
Ok, edited to add this link where the guy sell the adapter plate for $25. This guy has a really good reputation for selling MC's set up for Jeeps. His prices are outrageous (my opinion) since I did mine for under $100, BUT if you want an easy bolt on job he offers the bolt on MC carb (if I were gonna spend that kind of money I'd get another Weber). This guy also buys up all the MC carbs on ebay and makes it tough to buy one there but if you look in your local junkyard you'll probably get one cheaper and you can inspect it before you buy.
Ok, edited to add this link where the guy sell the adapter plate for $25. This guy has a really good reputation for selling MC's set up for Jeeps. His prices are outrageous (my opinion) since I did mine for under $100, BUT if you want an easy bolt on job he offers the bolt on MC carb (if I were gonna spend that kind of money I'd get another Weber). This guy also buys up all the MC carbs on ebay and makes it tough to buy one there but if you look in your local junkyard you'll probably get one cheaper and you can inspect it before you buy.
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What u guys think of this??
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...ewItemQQcategoryZ33550QQitemZ8029644615QQrdZ1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...ewItemQQcategoryZ33550QQitemZ8029644615QQrdZ1
You'd be better off with an earlier model. If you'll recheck the links I posted you'll see on the later model carbs the base will not completely seal against the adapter without a baseplate or a phoenic (sp) spacer. If you go to a junkyard a lot of late 304's (Jeep) and Fords will have the baseplate with the carb, but you don't see them for sale much. The phoenic spacer has worked for me so far, but it's just one more piece sandwiched in there for a vacuum leak to start. The guy who is currently bidding on it is also the guy who rebuilds these carbs, sets them up for Jeeps, and resells them for $275, so good luck bidding against him. He tends to buy up all the MC's on ebay to make you pay out the wazoo and buy a carb from him.
Short answer, yes the carb will work, but you'll also have to find a baseplate or a phoenic spacer to make it seal/avoid a vacuum leak. You can buy the phoenic spacer at your local advancedoriellyzone but if you go that route make sure you get a rubber coated one. If you get a regular cardboard spacer it might not last. The baseplate is the better fix but they are hard to find.
Short answer, yes the carb will work, but you'll also have to find a baseplate or a phoenic spacer to make it seal/avoid a vacuum leak. You can buy the phoenic spacer at your local advancedoriellyzone but if you go that route make sure you get a rubber coated one. If you get a regular cardboard spacer it might not last. The baseplate is the better fix but they are hard to find.
O...ok I see what ur saying. I think iam confident enough to go the junk yard and look for one. Specifically besides the carb, what else do you need to have it mounted. This is assuming i get the older version of the motorcraft which does not have the openings that cause air leaks.
shooter said:
there's a link in my first response to your question where a guy sells the adapter to mount the MC 2barrel carb to a 1 barrel intake. Says price is
$25......
edited: guess I forgot the link....duh. quote from about 1/2 way down the listing in the "question and answer" part......
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...ryZ33550QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Q: I have Jeep with 258 (or 232) and 1 barrel carb, would I have to change my intake?A: You can either purchase a used 2bbl manifold OR a 1bbl to 2bbl adapter plate. It's a pretty common plate. I sell the 1bbl to 2bbl adapter plates for $25.
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You'll need to look at the venturi size (stamped on the drivers side of the carb) 1.08 is correct. See what kind of choke you want. Most people recommend manual but I have the electric choke that came on mine that works fine (I don't want to have to work a manual choke, but that's just me). If you get a later carb with the bigger opening on the base it will work, just make sure you get the baseplate that should be between the carb and the intake. If it were me I'd look for one with an electric choke (easy to hook up) and it wouldn't matter if the base was the later style as long as I could find a baseplate.nica89yj said:
SenorCole86
New member
The one you'll be looking for has got a little "1.08" stamped on the side for the venturi size I belive. I recently did this swap on my CJ along with the GM HEI and love it. Good luck and happy hunting!
